balancing sports and academics

Balancing Sports and Academics

A student excelling in sports often fails to give studies its due attention. If sports is your first love, and you want to excel in academics too, read the following article that talks about striking a balance between these two.

Students often find it hard to strike a balance between sports and academics. But maintaining this balance is not impossible; there are many famous sportsmen who have achieved success on both these fronts. How did they manage to strike a balance? Effectively managing their time and a complete dedication to their concerned sport, is key to the success. In today's competitive world, having good education gives any student a kind of surety about his/her future, and is this the reason why formal education has assumed so much significance. Thus, from a practical perspective, children should give equal importance to sports and academics. You readers are well aware of the benefits of playing sports and having good grades on your mark sheet. Here are a few golden rules that would help our rising stars balance their academic lives with their lives on the ground. Nothing is More Important than Time Management Parents should motivate their wards to practice time management. It is about prioritizing things that are important, and effectively managing all other tasks. Students who take keen interest in sports, and look at it as their first priority, should learn to develop excellent time management skills. Majority of the children, who excel in sports find it difficult to keep pace with academics, and this is where the role of time management comes in. Time management ensures that the child spends each minute fruitfully. Students who are more into sports generally miss classes and then have to prepare for exams at the eleventh hour. If they learn to organize their day there would be less panic and cramming during exam time. Here are a few effective tips to practice time management.
  1. Make a daily timetable of the things to be done during the day, and ensure that you stick to it.
  2. Segment each day properly by allotting time to each activity, from practice to time for homework.
  3. To effectively follow the set timetable, the student must be ready to compromise on some fun things or activities. All young achievers have sacrificed a lot to make it to the top. The love for sports may not allow a young athlete to enjoy parties or eat junk food like his/her friends, but sacrificing on these little things is the key to success.
Support of Parents, Peers, and Teachers For sporting success, along with the child's efforts, the support of parents is undeniably essential. Parents need to play many roles, that of a motivator, a caretaker and a helper. A child would not be able to cope up with his/her studies if he/she fails to get the guidance of teachers, parents, and peers. Yes, for sports-minded kids, the support of parents and peers holds immense value. Parents should strive to set ideals for their kids by leading an organized life. By an organized life, what I mean is, allotting time for every activity. The attitude, behavior, and actions of parents, all influence their child's mindset and sow the seeds of learning. Thus, the first tip for parents is to set an example for their kids by utilizing their own time effectively. Secondly, parents should encourage their wards to play the sport he/she likes, and make sure that he/she is concentrating on his/her school work too. At the most, parents can help their children in completing homework and school assignments. This may not be acceptable to everyone, but there is no harm in it if your child is sweating it out at the ground daily. So give the child all possible help and encouragement in order to strike that desired balance. Now comes the role of peers. The support of classmates is also essential to achieve a balance between sports and academics. A child who gives most of his/her time to sports may miss out on important classes, he/she should thus not be weary of seeking help of his/her peers to be at par with the school portion. The classmates of such kids can help with notes and other things that he lacks. Stay Updated about all the Activities in School Even if a student is missing out on the classes in school, try to ensure that he/she is aware of all the necessary school activities by regularly communicating with his/her teachers and classmates. Teachers help or guidance can be sought if he/she has missed some classes due to participation in sports. The key lies in staying active on the academic arena too. Seek every possible help to stay aware about the latest developments in academics. Browse through the following student-centric tips for meeting that desired balance.
  1. There are many students who play international events and thus need to travel a lot; such students eventually miss out on the important lessons and assignments taught at school. To cope with this situation use the travel hours by either going through the notes or using the web media. This is difficult to manage, but will definitely be helpful.
  2. To keep stress at bay, students should regularly practice meditation and other mental exercises. This will boost the mental stamina of the child and give him/her a stronger mind.
  3. Even an hour of focused study, daily, is helpful in coping with the exam blues that student athletes face.
Striking a balance between academics and sports may be hard, but not impossible. I mention it again, you should have excellent time management skills, a burning desire to work hard and an ability to sacrifice, for success on both fronts.

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